... and three kinds of bloggers ‘gold’ - the network, the traffic and the ranking. Which of these you put most stock in depends on which blogging type you are. I reckon there are three kinds of bloggers. We all probably share traits of each of these types but see if you recognise yourself in one of these types:
1. Sharing Blogger - these bloggers share compulsively. They blog about subject matter that they’re passionately interested in and it helps them to further their understanding of these subjects. They then compulsively share their knowledge with anyone who gives them the barest hint of interest. The more interest or passion that their audience shows, the more they get into their blogging.
Before blogging, they were bombarding friends and co-workers with ideas, references and opinions by all other means (particularly email - these guys are notorious for bulk emails).
Can’t live without: Akismet, a well subscribed RSS reader, and a login to ACM. Blogging Gold: The network - getting feedback (emails and comments) from others who are interested in/passionate about the same subject area(s) that they blog about.
2. Banking Blogger - this blogger will blog about anything that will generate traffic. It doesn’t matter if it’s Lindsay Lohan, the World Cup (football), some baseball team, or fashion - as long as it pulls the traffic and gets the Adsense revenue up, they’re happy. When they blog depends on when they’ll get the most traffic rather than when they have an idea. (They actually *know* when to blog for traffic).
Of course these bloggers have passions beyond the dollar… they more than likely have a blog about something they’re *really* interested in, but this is rarely the money spinner. These bloggers are fluent in the language of partnerships, affiliate programs, and networks. They design their blogs around the advertising and they know where you put an ad to maximise revenue. Can’t live without: ProBlogger and Adsense. Blogging Gold: The traffic - the more traffic, the more clicks, the more cash.
3. Hollywood Blogger - These guys (and they mostly are men) are blogging for fame and glory - the blog is their soapbox. They stalk the ‘a-list’ in every manner imaginable. You’ll see their comments scattered far and wide. They are constantly writing about the A-List, or what the A-List are writing about - either with stomach turning adoration or, often as a last resort having been ignored one too many times, controversially attacking the A-Lister - all in the hope of a link or too.
You’ll see these guys at conferences and unconferences everywhere. They’ve worked out how to game TechMeme, and they argue with Technorati about how their rankings are calculated. These are the bloggers most likely to opine about the A-Lists habit of linking to each other or not at all. Or about how they’re not getting the audience that they deserve. Or that they’re going to quit blogging.
They’re the reason that I even started thinking about this post.
Can’t live without: Technorati Top 100, TechMeme Blogging Gold: The Ranking - which is achieved by gaining links.
So, why was I thinking about this post? Because in the last week or so there’s been more carry on about traffic and who deserved traffic. There’s a general assumption that we’re doing this blogging business for the numbers… but I think there are a lot of us out there who are much more interested in the conversation…. but perhaps that’s just me?
What do you think? Is it all about the numbers? The links and the traffic? Or is there something more about a blog, it’s ecosystem, it’s place in a network, that can make it valuable without getting the big numbers?
